Jim Harbaugh called Stanford “the ultimate destination” and said that he “can’t imagine coaching anywhere else” during an appearance Wednesday on Dan Patrick’s radio show. But if the Raiders come calling, is he interested?

Here are some of the Patrick-Harbaugh highlights:

Patrick: Pete Carroll is on tomorrow. Is there anything you want me to bring up with Coach?

Harbaugh: I know it’s a big ball game for both of our clubs. I expect fire in their eyes when they come to our stadium. There will be fire in our eyes. I’ll be thrilled to watch it go down.

Patrick: How is the situation fair to you when the report comes out in the San Jose Mercury News about Al Davis liking you and maybe you being the right fit for the Oakland Raiders to be a head coach? How can that story be broached to address it with you where you don’t feel like you’re getting in trouble or talking out of school?

Harbaugh: Well, those are hypotheticals.

Patrick: You haven’t been contacted?

Harbaugh: No, sir. No, I have not. I have committed to Stanford football and I am committed to the greatness of Stanford football. Like I just said, I played at the high school level, the college level, the pro level, coached at both college and pro. I love coaching the college guys. I love being with the guys that we have here at Stanford, guys that are working to get better. Stanford for me is not a weigh station. Stanford is the ultimate destination.

Patrick: But can you turn down an NFL job? Can you turn down an opportunity to go to the NFL?

Harbaugh: Like I said, I can’t imagine coaching anywhere else than where I’m at, Dan. I love coaching here at Stanford. I love the team, the guys that we’ve got. They’re committed guys. They’re not just interested in getting better and winning and building something great here and I’m the same way. I love working with these guys.

Patrick: I said that if you had the opportunity, Stanford to me is a great opportunity and a place where you can really get your feet firmly cemented there. Oakland, you’re not quite sure. That would have to scare you a little bit, that the tenuous nature of the predecessors there who have coached that team, right?

Harbaugh: This is what I tell young men that are interested in going to college and what they’re going to choose … one of their most important decisions in life, which school to choose. I tell them to look at Stanford the way I looked at Stanford, through my eyes. Some people go off to school to get an education; some go to be the best that they can possibly be. But I feel people come to Stanford because they have a chance to be just the best. We’re a universe of one here. We play at the BCS level and get one of the top educations in the entire world. Our young men have a chance to just be the flat-out best and I have that opportunity as a coach. This is a place of excellence; this is a place you go to be the best. It’s a tremendous opportunity for those young men to rocket launch themselves into adult hood and it’s a great opportunity for me as a coach.

Patrick: Have you said that you are not interested in the Raiders job?

Harbaugh: I guess we have a difference in the definition of commitment. I’m committed to Stanford.

Patrick: Good, well, I’m fine with that. It’s just I think coaches sometimes get put in the situation, Jim, that until we hear that they say I’m not interested … it’s unfair when it comes out in the season, I understand that. But I’m just trying to understand that if you are committed, do you put out a statement saying I’m not going anywhere. I’m not interested in the Oakland Raiders. If you say that, then these things have to go away or certainly it eases a little bit of that media pressure.

Harbaugh: You asked me at the beginning (about) the hypotheticals. I’ve told you that I can’t imagine being anywhere else than where I am here at Stanford University. I hope that suffices.

Patrick: Good, OK, I just wanted to make sure. Because sometimes these come out and if the coach doesn’t respond or he says no comment, then all of a sudden we sort of move in for the kill. I wanted to be fair to the situation. I hope you understand where I’m coming from.”

Harbaugh: I appreciate that. I hope you appreciate the challenge we have coming in this week with the USC Trojans.

Patrick: Oh, I do. I understand that challenge. That’s a pretty good challenge you have there. But, hey, you won last year against them and now they come to your place, so you should win this game, right?

Jon Wilner

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Meh … win at Stanford and he’ll get job offers a lot better than the Raiders.

I hope he realizes that … but more importantly I hope he’s been working on that two minute drill defense.

SierraSpartan

I’m just waiting for the RichRod experiment to wear thin up in Ann Arbor. When it does, if Harbaugh has truly turned Furd around by that time, then Michigan is going to come hot-and-heavy for their former QB.

And THAT, my friends, would be an offer that Harbaugh could not refuse.

SJDavid

SierraSpartan,
Dont forget the Harbaugh said some pretty bad things about Michigan. I dont think they have forgot that.

Leftcoast

SierraSpartan – I think you have this measured correctly. All the nonsense that happened last year between Harbaugh and Michigan will be long forgotten if/when JimH gets two more winning years under his belt at Stanford. If remembered at all it will be shown as proof of his commitment to academics and “quality young men”.

I don’t see the burned bridges there that others do (unfortunately.)

NinerNell

Harbaugh to the 49ers-Yes, that’s the right move for everybody-except for the Cardinal!

Erick Hanson

Dan Patrick must be hard of hearing. How many times does Harbaugh need to answer a horse-baloney question?

manfurd

Bless Jimmy Harbaugh’s heart. He’s a committed Stanford man until his imagination tells him otherwise. I do agree that he sticks around until Stanford gets on the winning track. Then he’ll be too valuable for Stanford to keep or pay. RichRod at UM gets paid $4m base. NFL head coaches get paid around $5m and upwards. Jimmy would have to be nuts not to look at a serious offer and he’s no dummy.

E

He must be getting really annoyed at answering these questions…

PaloAltoStan

what does jim harbaugh make?

milo

It’s reported that Jim Harbaugh gets paid $750k currently.

Jim McAthur

HAs Jim Harbaugh renewed his contract? he was negotiating in November and December.
Recruiting ends next month.
thanks, Jim McArthur